TOKAORA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 28 April 1927, Page 4

TOKAORA.

OPENING OF NEW HALL. The community resident round Tokaora have long needed a central hall where they can meet for dances and any other'local gatherings. This need has now been well met by the erection of a commodious building which will serve them for many years to come. The opening ceremony was performed last night in the presence of the largest gathering ever seen in Tokaora by Mr John Finlay. The Hon. 0. J. Hawken, Minister of Agriculture, was present, while apologies were received for unavoidable absence from Mr H. G. Dickie, M.P., and Mr J. B. Murdoch. The hall was taxed to its utmost, over 400 being present, of whom about 100 played in a euchre tourney and the rest took part in the dancing. The floor Was in capital order, and with a little use will be as good as any in the district. Mr W. Standish, chairman of the committee, briefly welcomed Mr Hawken and expressed thanks to the Hawera CLounty Council for giving them use of the ground on which the hall is built.

Mr Hawken, who was greeted with applause, expressed his pleasure flt being asked to be present on such an his-' toric occasion for the district. The building, he said, was very useful, especially from a social point of view, and he congratulated the committee and the settlers on their energy and enterprise. Mr John Finlay, in declaring the hall open, said it was one of the happiest hours in his long residence at Tokaora to see the hall that had so long been needed. He referred to the* generosity of the late Mr J. Livingston in the earliest days in allowing the use of Ms wool shed for social gatherings, and, in fact, he said, the upper floor was specially built by Mr Livingston so that the people could dance there. Unfortunately a.. Are destroyed .the building. Then a scheme was evolved for erecting a hall and satisfactory finance was arranged. The greater portion, of the amount required, about £450, was provided, and for the balance a loan was raised, some of the settlers guaranteeing payment, and with the valued help of the ladies the consummation of the efforts of the committee had now been seen that evening. To all concerned and to the ladies were due the sincere thanks of all. He urged the young people to co-operate with the .committee so as to clear off the debt. The names of the committee were:— Messrs W. Standish (chairman), P. Banks, -R. H. Jones, F. Stewart, V. Mills, T. Bollond, H. Taylor, S. Thrush, G. T. Francis, W. R. Laurent, J. Freyne and E. Tippett (hon. secretary).

The M.C. ’s for the dance were Messrs J. Freyne, W. R. Laurent, H. B. Taylor, V. Mills and T. Connery, while good music was provided by Taylor’s orchestra, and for extras by Miss Butler and Messrs McDonald and Wills. The hall was gay with bunting, and the effect was very good. In the euchre tourney the prizes were won by Miss Palmer first and Mirs Lavcry second (after a tie with Mrs Bloor), and by Messrs S. Kerr first and H. Wells second.